Eritrea’s former finance minister has died in jail after nearly six years of detention, a rights group reported.
Human Rights Concern Eritrea (HRCE) raised serious concerns about the treatment of political prisoners following his death.
The HRCE revealed that Berhane Abrehe, 79, was removed as finance minister in 2012 after clashing with President Isaias Afwerki.
A veteran of Eritrea’s independence war, Abrehe was detained incommunicado since September 2018.
Abrehe’s arrest followed the release of a book critical of President Afwerki’s administration.
In the book, Abrehe advocated for democratic reforms and budget transparency, challenging the government’s policies.
HRCE condemned Abrehe’s detention without due process, highlighting ongoing repression of freedom of expression and human rights in Eritrea.
They described his incommunicado imprisonment as a blatant violation of his fundamental rights.
The rights group urged the international community to push for accountability through an independent investigation into Abrehe’s death.
The Eritrean government has yet to comment on the situation.
